Hi Instagram! My name is Joshua and I am the Assistant Stage Manager on the Wizard Of Oz! This week I’m going to take you behind the scenes and show you how a musical is run 8 times a week, or this week 9! I’m going to visit all the technical departments and share some insight with you! Please let me know if there’s anything you’d love to see during my takeover, and I’ll do my best to show you! ✨🌈 (@joshuabroadbent) #WizardOfOzAU#ASMrepresent
Not only does our Witch melt (SPOILERS) she also molts, you can always find a trail right back to @jemmarix_oz dressing room! We all have the task of collecting as many as we can before Toto gets to them, and then our Wardrobe team will sew them back on! #WizardOfOzAU (📸 @joshuabroadbent)
One of our most detailed prop would be the Wonders of the World! Here’s a look inside a few boxes: Each of the boxes holds mystical items from the Professors journey around the world! ⛩🗽🗿🐋 #wizardofozau (📸 @joshuabroadbent)
One of my favourite things about being a Stage Manager is getting to call the show! Here’s a throw back to our first week in Melbourne where I got to learn to call Act Two from the house! It’s very rare to learn the show call from the house, but it really gave me an eye for the detail. #wizardofozau (📸 @joshuabroadbent)
The stage is set, the doors are open. Time for another journey over the rainbow! 🌈 #WizardofOzAu
Assistant Stage Managers essentials: I took this photo on our first technical session all the way back in October last year! What do you think is most important item for my job?🥤📃✏️🎧🔦 #WizardofOzAU (📸@joshuabroadbent)
Here we have the Stage Management Desk, located in a different place every venue. It is here the Calling Stage Manager operates the show. We have 5 monitors that allow us to view the stage and conductor, and cue lights to action cues. This is my favourite place to be! 🎶 can you guess what my favourite song to call is? #wizardofozau#stagemanagement(📸 @joshuabroadbent)
One of our most detailed prop would be the Wonders of the World! Here’s a look inside a few boxes: Each of the boxes holds mystical items from the Professors journey around the world! ⛩🗽🗿🐋 #wizardofozau (📸 @joshuabroadbent)
Here are our Auto Knives! These are used to secure set pieces into the tracks on the deck so that we can move them on and off seamlessly. These knives go through the back of the set piece and into a rabbit under the deck that is attached to a wire and motor. When our auto master presses go, the motor will spin, the wire will move and so does the set. These are used for our Bushes, Yellow Brick Road and even the house! Confused, me too. Let’s just say it’s magic! ✨ #WizardofOzAu (📸 @joshuabroadbent)
As I mentioned before we have the task of collecting as many feathers as we can and once we do they get reattached back to The Wicked Witch’s costume. There would be over 8,000 individual features between the two costumes @jemmarix wears! #wizardofozau(📸 @joshuabroadbent)
Sound fact: There are 44 transmitters and 57 microphone used throughout the show. Our principal cast get two (a main and back up) and the ensemble only one, you’ll also find some in hats, like Ms Gulch, Professor Marvel and the Winkies. Three hours prior our wonderful Sound department are at work, putting in the batteries, giving them a test, and placing them in each dressing room and then placing them on the actor. Our Sound team are incredible! 🎧🎶🌈 #wizardofozau (📸 @joshuabroadbent)
One of our most detailed prop would be the Wonders of the World! Here’s a look inside a few boxes: Each of the boxes holds mystical items from the Professors journey around the world! ⛩🗽🗿🐋 #wizardofozau (📸 @joshuabroadbent)
Not only do we do checks daily, but every Friday in Oz we have maintenance day; a day for all technical departments to make sure everything’s running smoothly. As you can see the rig is in, and our Lighting Department is checking all 220 lighting fixtures. #wizardofozau (📸 @joshuabroadbent)
Did you now there are over 60 wigs used in The Wizard of Oz?! Our Head Of Wigs, Sharron, has the incredible job of restyling and resetting them all to ensure they look perfect every night. Here is the lovely @sammdods Dorothy wig being restyled last night in time for today’s performance. #wizardofozau (📸 @joshuabroadbent)
Well my friends, that’s my Instagram takeover done! Before I go, I just want to stay how incredibly humbled I am to be working on such a fantastic show. One of you asked me this week what it was like backstage and honestly it’s the best thing I’ve ever experienced! Everyone is so lovely, kind, supportive and encouraging. The Wizard Of Oz will always have a place in my heart! 🌈❤️ if you want more Backstage adventures in the future follow me @joshuabroadbent! #wizardofozau
